Cato T. Laurencin, MD, PhD, is Chief Executive Officer of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, Director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering, the Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine and Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery.
Matthew J. Cook, MPH is the CICATS webmaster and a research associate 2 in the Biomedical Informatics Division. He also maintains the CICATS social media accounts and CICATS Profiles.
Lots to “Like” on CICATS Facebook Page
CICATS Facebook Page
We’ll be using our Facebook page to keep our members up-to-the-minute on a wide range of clinical and translational research topics.
You’ll find:
- Information about CICATS for our members
- Photos, videos and stories about CICATS members and their research
- News about clinical and translational science at UConn and its partnering institutions
- Details about upcoming CICATS events and seminars
Join our social network. Head on over to http://www.facebook.com/CICATS/ and click the “like” button at the top of the page. You can also like us on the bottom of our CICATS website home page. Once you “like us,” you’ll be set to receive important member updates and other valuable news from CICATS via Facebook. And remember with Facebook installed on your mobile device, you can stay current on CICATS news even when you’re away. See you on Facebook!
Dr. Cato Laurencin Profiled for Black History Month
In honor of Black History Month, the career of Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering, the chief executive officer of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science and a nationally recognized mentor, was highlighted on FOX CT’s morning show on Feb. 14.
Dr. Laurencin was one of 23 prominent African American leaders among the Health Center’s faculty and staff whose passion and creativity contribute to the educational, research and clinical successes of our academic medical center. To see the list of individuals, view the February 17 UConn Today post.
Public Health Nutrition Highlights Study Conducted by CICATS Scholar
When it comes to offering healthy food in the local corner store, supply can impact demand, according to a study by University of Connecticut researchers. The study, published in the journal Public Health Nutrition, found that when corner stores stocked a wider variety of fruits and vegetables, customers were more likely to buy them.
A team of researchers led by Katie Martin, assistant professor-in-residence in the Department of Allied Health Sciences in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources and a CICATS K12 Scholar looked at the combination of customer shopping behavior and the availability of healthy foods within the stores.
The team conducted interviews with 372 customers shopping in 19 neighborhood corner stores in Hartford to ask about their food shopping behavior. They asked how frequently they shop at corner stores, and what types of food they typically buy there. Store inventories were also conducted to measure the availability and quality of healthy food.
Data analysis revealed that for each additional type of fruit or vegetable available in the store, the estimated odds of a customer purchasing fruits increased by 12 percent, and by 15 percent for vegetables. Customers receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits (SNAP, formerly called Food Stamps) were almost twice as likely to purchase fruit, compared with those not receiving SNAP.
“Our results show that demand for healthy food is related to supply. These results can have practical benefits for organizations and municipalities working to improve corner stores in urban areas,” says Martin.
The study was a collaborative effort between the University of Connecticut Center for Public Health and Health Policy and the Hartford Food System, a non-profit organization working with corner stores to increase their supply of healthy food. Funding for the research was provided by the Patrick and Catherine Weldon Donaghue Medical Research Foundation.
Portions of this Blog posting were contributed by Connie Cantor.
Weller elected VP and President Elect of CASE
Sandra K Weller, PhD
Dr. Weller will be the first woman to serve as both vice president and president of the Academy. She was originally elected to the Academy in 1999.
She was elected to the Academy’s governing council in July 2003 and is currently completing her term as secretary of the Academy, a post she has held since July 2008.
To learn more, visit Health Center Professor Elect VP of Connecticut Academy on UConn Today.
CICATS Biostatistics Speaker set to Visit UConn Health Center
Martin L. Lesser, PhD, is Director and Investigator, Biostatistics Unit at the Feinstein Institute for Medical Research on the campus of the North Shore University Hospital in Manhasset, NY will be giving a talk entitled “The Evolution of Biostatistics: 1985-2010″ on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at the University of CT Health Center, Low Auditorium from 12-1 PM. Dr. Lesser is also Professor, Department of Molecular Medicine, Hofstra University School of Medicine and Clinical Professor of Public Health, Weill-Cornell Medical College. Dr. Lesser serves as Chair of both the Institutional Review Board (IRB) and the Human Subjects Protection Advisory Committee for the North Shore LIJ Health System and has served on numerous research grant study sections for the National Institutes of Health. He has also been a reviewer for many statistics and medical journals and serves as Senior Faculty Advisor for Research Affairs and Director of Biostatistics for the North Shore-LIJ Health System. He has authored or co-authored over 200 scientific publications or book chapters in the biomedical literature. Dr Lesser’s areas of statistical interest are design and analysis of clinical trials, clinical epidemiology, longitudinal data, non-parametric and robust methods, diagnostic testing and screening, and classification problems. Much of his career has been devoted to research problems in oncology, HIV/AIDS, OB/GYN, and cardiovascular disease. In addition to his work in human health, during the 1980s he was a consultant, advisor, and teacher for research investigators at the Animal Medical Center (New York) and, since 2006, has served in that same capacity for Long Island Veterinary Specialists.
CICATS Leader Named Health Care Hero
Dr. Lalande was named a Hartford Business Journal Health Care Hero
Congratulations to Dr. Marc Lalande, member of the CICATS leadership team. He has been named as one of the nine 2011 health care heroes honored by the Hartford Business Journal. Dr. Lalande is chair of the Genetics and Developmental Biology Department, and director of the Stem Cell Institute.
The Lalande laboratory in the Cell and Genome Science building is focused on the role of epigenetics in disease and development—epigenetics is the study of heritable changes in gene function. Lalande’s research team has spent years studying Angelman and Prader-Willi syndromes, two relatively rare genetic disorders. He says their goal is to broaden that research base to more common disorders such as ADHD, autism, and schizophrenia.
The heroes were nominated by their co-workers, clients, and patients and selected by independent judges, based on established criteria.
Learn more about the Dr. Lalande and the other recipient in the UConn Today story entitled “Two from UConn Health Center Named Health Care Heroes“
Photos from the CICATS Mini-Retreat
Photos from the CICATS mini-retreat held November 1-2, 2011 at the UConn Cell and Genome Sciences Building. All photos Matthew J. Cook / UConn Health Center unless otherwise noted.
CICATS Mini-Retreat on Nov 1 and 2
Given the context of recent biomedical science developments in the region and nationally, we would like to invite all CICATS members to an information and planning mini-retreat to explore the future of CICATS and biomedical research at the University and its partner institutions. The Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science (CICATS) was established in 2009 in order to: 1) translate laboratory discoveries into treatments for patients; 2) engage Connecticut communities in clinical research efforts; and 3) train a new generation of clinical and translational researchers.
When: Tuesday, November 1 (6:00-8:00 PM) & Wednesday, November 2, 2011 (8:30 AM–1:00 PM)
Who should attend?: All members of CICATS and other interested members of the clinical and translational science community in the Greater Hartford region.
Location: UConn Cell and Genome Sciences Building, 400 Farmington Avenue, Farmington, CT » Directions
RSVP: Stacey Anderson, 860.679.6213 or sanderson@uchc.edu
Download the CICATS Retreat Agenda here.
Legislature approves Jackson Lab Personalized Medicine Institute
Artist rendition of the new lab on the UConn Health Center campus
Jackson Laboratory for Genomic Medicine will be built on 17 acres on the lower campus of the Health Center. It’s estimated the project will create 661 research-related jobs and an estimated 6,200 spinoff and indirect jobs. The total 20-year capital and research budget for the institute is projected to be $1.1 billion, with Jackson Laboratory providing $809 million through federal research grants, philanthropy and service income, and the state contributing $291 million including $192 million in a construction loan and $99 million in research partnership participation.
The attraction of The Jackson Laboratory to Connecticut is a result of the state’s investment in Bioscience Connecticut. The project will enable Connecticut to assume a position of global leadership in developing new medical treatments tailored to each patient’s unique genetic makeup.
The building will be 250,000 square feet of state-of-the-art lab space. Officials estimate construction will begin in early 2013 and be completed by the end of 2014.
Creating Stem Cells to Repair Joint Cartilage
Dr. Caroline Dealy, associate professor, discusses her research developing stem cell therapies for joint cartilage repair at the UConn Health Center and the future commercialization of the research as part of this UConn Today video.
The work is just one example of the clinical and translational research being conducted at the University and its partner institutions.